I never really understood the hype around running. When I was in my 20s, I would do it occasionally to stay healthy and burn some calories. The running distances were short and effective. I could not imagine going beyond 3 miles. It just seemed painful and tedious. I spent years without catching the running bug until it finally got me in the year 2020.

Changing Environments

At the beginning of 2020, I was 31 years old and working as a personal trainer at a fitness center. My workouts were primarily focused on strength and muscle building. My cardio would consist of the stair-master, fan bike and hiking trails. I worked my cardiovascular system hard, especially when I trained for high altitude mountain climbs. But, I never ran. I considered myself in great shape. Little did I know that running would knock me off my high horse.

Around mid-March 2020, the fitness center closed down due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Westchester County, NY. What I thought was going to be a week turned into months. And well, you know the rest.

By the beginning of April, the gyms were still closed. At this time of year I usually increase my cardio and manage my diet to get my body ready for the summer. With no access to cardio equipment, I found myself in unfamiliar territory. I needed something simple and effective, so I went for a run.

Prior to ultra running, I would train my endurance for mountain climbs. Here I am descending Cotopaxi in 2018 after a successful summit.

The Turning Point

It was Sunday, April 5, 2020, when I decided to go for a 3 mile run. This was my first run in a very long time. The temperatures were cool and the morning sky was mostly cloudy. I had no running shoes. I was wearing a pair of No Bull Cross Trainers that were completely flat. This was my first big mistake.

I started my run feeling strong and comfortable. I used the Runkeeper app on my phone to track my mileage and pace. Everything felt great until I hit mile 2. My heart rate was very high, lungs were working overtime, and running form was falling apart. I turned into some quiet local roads to avoid the embarrassment of drivers watching me suffer. I decided to keep pushing hard so I could finish quicker. I didn’t pace myself at all. This was my second big mistake.

After that first run, my legs felt a bit achy, especially my knees. I brushed it off and ran 3.5 miles the very next day. I did not give my body enough time to recover. This was my third big mistake.

A total of 6.5 miles in two days was unusual for me. My legs were worn out, but my mentality was to keep pushing. I decided to go for a run for a third day in a row. However, I only managed to run 1 mile before my legs started to hurt. I was done. I thought to myself, “You think you’re in good shape? You can’t even run 5 miles.” I wanted to prove myself wrong.

I took a few days off to make some adjustments. I bought a pair of running sneakers. I decided to pace myself on my runs instead of going all out. I also scheduled my runs with enough recovery time in between. As a result of these changes, I was able to hit 5 miles by mid May. However, I still was not satisfied.

By June 10th, I completed a 10 mile run. I still remember how exhausted my legs felt right after. They were throbbing and barely holding me up. I was in pain, but the pain was overshadowed by the sense of achievement. At that moment, I felt my confidence skyrocket. With my torso bent over and my hands on my knees, I thought to myself, “I did it, but can I do more?” This was turning point.

The Hoka One One Rincon sneakers became my go-to running shoes.

Catching the Running Bug

I wanted to push more to see what my body could do. My next goal was a half marathon (13.1 miles). I started a half marathon training program that I found online. I skipped a few weeks of the program to start closer to the peak weeks. I still had that aggressive mindset, which would come back to haunt me later.

After a few weeks on the program and a proper taper, I was ready for the half marathon. This was 2020 so all the races were cancelled. I decided to just run this one on my own. On July 4th I completed my first half marathon with a time of 1:50:20.

It was obvious at this point that I caught the running bug. The challenges, sense of achievement, high energy levels, and support from the community are what kept me going. I was there to embrace it.

Right after running my first half marathon.

Chasing the Marathon

I was proud of my progress, but not satisfied. I had my eyes on completing a marathon, but it seemed like an unrealistic goal. After the half marathon I was completely exhausted. My energy was low and my legs were cramping. I could not imagine doing two half marathons in a row. Something had to change.

I started a marathon training plan, but once again, I skipped a few weeks since I was somewhat conditioned. I loosely followed the plan by incorporating tempo runs, intervals, and slower long runs. I also got a Garmin watch to track my progress.

However, the biggest change was in my nutrition. I started to use gels and hydration drinks for carbs and electrolytes. This provided me with additional energy to continue my run well beyond 13.1 miles.

I worked my way up in mileage through the training plan. I remember hitting 20 miles on a warm day towards the end of July. This just pushed me into the next level physically and mentally. Two months prior I could barely run 10 miles. This was a huge confidence booster.

On August 1st, I was scheduled for a 21 mile run. It was a warm day so I made sure to take in more liquids. My girlfriend (now wife) drove to mile 10 and set up a little aid station for me so I wouldn’t have to carry all my water and gels. The nutrition went well, but I was keeping an eye on my shins. They have been taking a hit with all the mileage and the last thing I wanted was an injury.

As I approached 21 miles, I felt like I could keep going. And that’s exactly what I did. I pushed to 23 miles and then 24. Each mile was excruciatingly long with my legs feeling heavy and the summer heat building up. My ego did not let me stop. I hit 24 miles and then 25 miles. I had no fuel planned for these extra miles so my gas tank was almost empty. I had just enough for one more mile. I hit 26 miles! And then I remembered, a marathon is 26.2 miles. That last part was painful, but I did it. I completed a full marathon!

Going Beyond the Marathon

When I was in college, I read a book called Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner by Dean Karnazes. This is when I learned that people could run crazy long distances and do it for fun. It all seemed so bizarre to me back then. But after I hit those 26.2 miles, the book started to make sense. I started to understand why people want to push to greater distances.

Right after running my first marathon, the next intelligent step would have been to take a few weeks off to let the body recover. But, the ego is a powerful thing. Instead, I planned for a 30 miler that very next Saturday. What’s another four miles or so, right?

On August 8th, just one week after I ran a marathon, I went out for a long and painful 30 mile run. The run started off smoothly. I was taking in enough calories to help me last the full distance. At some point around mile 15, my stomach started to feel uneasy. I dialed back on the frequency of the gel intake to give my stomach a break. As a result, I started to fatigue heavily at mile 25. I felt like I could not do another 5 miles. I switched my music to motivational speeches and somehow that helped me push through the fatigue and pain. I completed 30 miles in 4:30:31.

Going Further

It took me four months to get from 3 miles to 30 miles. There was a lot of planning, time, energy, and pain involved. For me it was all worth it. I was happy with my achievement, but I was more happy that I found a new hobby.

I was amazed that I was able to get to 30 miles with no significant injuries. I owe a lot of that to my strength training. My weekly mileage increases and goals were very aggressive. I do not recommend pushing that hard because injuries do happen. It is also important to note that this was during the pandemic so I was able to sleep a lot more (i.e. high recovery).

Since the 30 miler, I have tried different types of endurance challenges. I completed the 23 mile trail run of Devil’s Path in the Catskills (video), Shawangunk Ridge 30 mile trail run, JFK 50 mile run, Rocky Raccoon 100 mile run, and Ironman Texas. Ultra running and endurance events are now a part of my life. It’s funny to think that it all started with that 3 mile run.

Becoming an Ultra Runner